Mechanism for determining operator efficiency in multiple unit winding machines



March 1965 G. R. DILLING MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 7, 1962 March 16, 1965 D|LL|NG ,l73,622

MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES Filed May 7, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE R. D\LLING ATTORNEYS BILLING 3,1 73,622

March 16, 1965 MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES v 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 7, 1962 46 INVENTOR.

GEORGE ROIILING 35 3 5 ATTORNEYS March 16, 1965 s. R. DILLING 3,173,522

MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES Filed May 7, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 r! 0 IO INVENTOR. GEORGE R DILU MG ATTORNEYS March 16, 1965 G. R. DILLING MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES '7 Sheets-Sheet. 5

Filed May 7, 1962 ATTDRNEYS March 16, 1965 e. R. DILLING 3,173,622

MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES Filed May 7, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

Y GEORGE R. D\LL\NQ 10% Wddv 0144 ATTORNEYS March 16, 1965 G. R. DILLING 3,173,622

MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERA EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING HINES Filed May 7, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR. GEORGE R. DlLUNG BY aw u W 41 M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,173,622 MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR EFFICIENCY IN MULTIPLE UNIT WINDING MACHINES George R. Dilling, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Barber- Colman Company, Rockford, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 7, 1962, Ser. No. 192,843 8 Claims. (Cl. 242-356) This invention relates to multiple unit winding machines of the patrolling traveler type such as the Barber-Colman spooler shown in Patent No. 2,757,874. In such machines, the traveler or knot-tying and winding restart mechanism is brought into operative association with successive winding units at repeated intervals which are substantially shorter than the time required to empty the bobbins. If the thread of any active bobbin is broken or exhausted, the traveler finds the thread on the package, ties it to the hung-up thread of a reserve bobbin, and restarts the winding. Any winding unit which is running properly when the traveler arrives is by-passed without contact with the traveler. As a result, the over-all efficiency of the spooler is determined by the success of the knot-tying operations which in turn depend On the care exercised by the operator in placing new or reserve bobbins in the individual winding units and properly hanging up the threads thereof.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for determining the number of tying operations successfully performed by the patrolling traveler and therefore afford a basis for incentive pay and an inducement for the operator to contribute to high operating efliciency of the spooler.

Accordingly, it is a primary aim of the invention to determine the condition of each winding unit not only when the traveler comes into operative association with such unit but also when it leaves the same and to count these conditions so thatthe difference represents the number of successful tying operations.

Another object is to determine the active or idle conditions of each winding unit by selectively operable sensing devices carried by the traveler itself and controlling the operation of counting mechanism also carried by the traveler.

A further object is to utilize the position of the thread package of each winding unit as an indication of the conditions to be sensed in the different positions of the traveler in moving past such unit.

Still another object is to sense the number of knottying attempts made by the traveler and compare the same with the number'of failures to successfully tie the knots and resume the winding operations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a Barber-Colman spooler similar to FIG. 4 of the above mentioned patent and incorporating a counting mechanism embodying the novel features of the present invention, certain parts in this and other figures which do not involve the present invention being omitted.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view or" the traveler taken from the left of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 4 showing 3,173,622 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 the relation of the winding units and the traveling tying unit.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of a part of FIG. 1 adding the bobbin dotting mechanism thereto. H

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mechanism controlling the by-passing of the dofiing mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mechanism for controlling the by-passing of the reserve threads.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view and wiring diagram of the counting mechanism.

For purposes of illustration, the invention is shown in the drawings incorporated in a winder of essentially the general construction disclosed in the aforesaid patent to which reference may be had for further details. In general, individual winding. units 10 are mounted on and disposed side by side as shown in FIG. 4 and schematically in FIG. 5 along an upright frame 11 having an overhanging top 12 supporting and guiding a tying unit or so called traveler 13 which is advanced along a horizontal path past the successive winding units by turning a pinion 14 (FIG. 1) meshing with rack teeth 15 on the frame and driven from the traveler motor (not shown) through a clutch 9 and the gearing shown in FIG. 2.

Each winding unit includes an upright swingable carrier 16 (FIG. 1) carrying arms 21 which'support a rotatable core 17 on which a thread T drawn from an active supply bobbin 18 is wound to form a larger yarn mass such as a cheese 19. Such winding takes place when the cheese is resting as shown in FIG; 1 on a drum 20 of conventional construction rotated continuously and having a helical groove receiving the thread and traversing the same back and forth along the cheese. The cheese core is detachably journaled on the free ends of the arms 21 which project horizontally from and fulcrumed at 22 on the upper end of the carrier 16 which, in this instance, is pivoted at 24 to permit the cheese to be carried forwardly from the winding position A shown in full in FIG. 1 to an intermediate position B indicated in dotted outline and then on to a tying position C shown by dotdash lines. Thus, a winding unit is idle Whenever it is disposed out of its normal winding position A.

As fully described in said patent, the cheese carrier 16 of each winding unit is moved to the intermediate position by a spring 25 acting on an arm 26 of the carrier upon release of a latch 27 in response to breaking orexhaustion of the running thread T as sensed by a detector 28. Such a thread break results in endwise movement of a horizontal rod 29 connected to a pull wire 30 sus pended from the latch, such movement carrying an'e'ye 31 on the wire into the path of a continuously oscillating rocker 32 which, on its next downward stroke, pulls the wire to release the latch. This allows the carrier 16 to move outwardly under the action of the spring 25 until the upper end of an arm 33 pivoted at 34 on and upstanding from the upper end of the carrier 16 comes against a stop 35 as shown in phantom in FIG. 1 and, through a link 36 actuates a lever 37 for expanding a brake to stop the cheese. The stop 35 is on a bell-crank38 fulcrumed at 38 on the frame 11. The cheese 19 and its arm21 are thus disposed in the braking position B to await the arrival of the traveler 13, the weight of the two'being sustained by a pawl and ratchet (not shown) as described in the aforesaid patent. In this movement of the cheese, an arm 40 carrying a roller 41 and rigid with and up standing from the carrier 16 near the fulcrum thereof is swung from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1.

The active bobbin 18 is supported in a pocket 42mounted on the frame 11 and below the path of the traveler 13 and also supporting a reserve bobbin 47 manually loaded into the pocket by the spooler attendant who, after dropinto and through a guide hook 49v and finally laterally between the jaws of a friction clamp 46. Thescare exercised by the attendant in hanging up the reserve thread contributes to the success of the traveler in tying the reserve thread onto the cheese and resmning operation of the winder thus determining the over-all operating efli ciency of the spooler.

As disclosed more fully in Patents 1,267,977 and*1,657,- 977, the travelerormobile tying unit 13 includes rolls including a roll 50 for supporting the cheese during the tying'operatio'n'and reversing the rotation of the cheese to take up and restartthe winding, 1a knotter indicated generally at- 59 including ,a horizontally-projecting hook 51 extending across the vertical plane of the hung-up reserve thread R, various thread positioning and clamping'de vices, and cams on a continuously rotating shaft 52 for operating the various parts'in proper timed relation in a cycle which is also controlled by cam surfaces on horizontal plates 53 to 57 (FIGS, 1, 4 and 5) secured to bracketarms 58 on the traveler frame and overlying the winding units '-but adapted for engagement with the upper ends of upstanding arms 39 on the bell-cranks 3S and with rollers 41" on-the upper ends of arms i0; on the cheese carriers 16.

The active bobbin 18'is mounted on-a skewer 60 (FIG. 6) which, through a mechanism 61 fully disclosed in Patent 1,686,102, releases the activebob-bin to permit d-oifingthereof, swings the skewer int-o alinement with and inserts the same'into the bore of thereserve bobbin 47, and swings the latter to the winding position while the traveler -13 is performing its'tying cycle on the idle winding thread will have been carried out of the thread guide 49" and'thus'freed for movement'into normal'wind-ing position. Fora-purpose to appear presently, the plunger is normally. held by -aspring 68 inthe position shown in full in F-IG. 61but is swingable outwardly about a pinion 70' -as .a fulcrumand to-the positionshown in phantom in which the roller 65'is offset-outwardly from the plane of thecam bar 64;

When the traveler arrives at one of thewinding units At the time that the thread inwardly'away fromthe passing hook if the winding counters an inwardly inclined surface 76 on the plate 57' and together with'lthe cheese carrier is cammed reversely and inwardly. As the roller 41 encounters the surface 77 in the continued movement of-the traveler, the cheese again comes. into driving contact with the drum 20 thus continuing the unwinding. of thread off from the new bobbin pr-ovided'that the thread uniting cycle has been successful.

In the continued advance of. theatr-aveler, the roller 41 of the Windingunitrides'up an incline 80onthe trailing end of the plate 57' which incline moves the cheese. carrier" 16 farther and inwardly far. enough to permit reengagement of the latch 27 and reactivation of the thread break detector 28 in controlling the cheese position. If the tying has been successful, the carrier will remain in latched position and the winding will-continue after the surface 80 and its extension 81' have passed out of engagement with the roller 41 of the winding unit then in operative association with the traveler.

of the bobbin 18.". A mechanism; fully; disclosed in an application Serial No. 804,516, filed April 6, 1959, by

Robert J .'Mah-oney-, now Patent No.3,042,328, may be used to'control the position of a deflecting device 84' (FIG. 8) for allowing the hung-up reserve thread R to remain in the path of the oncoming knotter hook 51 if the associated winding unit 10, is idle due-to a thread break but to remain in the position shown in full and cam the .unit isactive. Herein, the 'defiector comprises an arm 85 projecting froma yoke, 86 fulcrumed at 87 on the traveler frame, the arm being disposed adjacent the level of theknotter hook and projecting in the direction of advance of the travelerwithjhe free end portion 88 of the' armbent laterally and outwardlys Coupled at 89t0 an arm 90 rigidwith the yoke .86 is a rod 91 'slida-ble on the traveler andcoupled'through a flexible link 92 to a rod.93 pivotally connected at 94 to a which is idle due to breakage or exhaustion of the thread 1 of the bobbin 18 andpositioned as indicatedat It) in FIG. 5,:an-inclined-surfaceor plow 71' (FIGS.- 4 andS) on the cam plate 54 engages the upstandingend, indicated at 39 =in FIG; 5, of the bellcrank 38 rocking the latter shown in-d-ottedoutline in FIG. 1'." Movement of the cheese-outwardlyto theC position shown in dot-dash outline --in FIG. 1 iscontinued under the action of the spring 25 'when-theroller 41"reaches'and'rides along the' surface 73' to carry the cheese: toward'the tying position. The force of the spring '25'is dissipated before this position isreachedso thatthe roller 41 engages and is cammed outwardly .by the surface 74 on the plate 55-as shown in FIG. 4:. In passing this surface, the roller follows along a surface as indicated at 41 (FIGS. 4-an'd 5), the

cheeseand :its carrier'being maintained in a fixed position during'finding'ofsthe threads, tying the same together, and.

initiating'turning of the cheese in the winding direction. After completion of :the tyingcyole, the roller'41enlever 95 fulcrumed intermediate its ends at' 96 on a plate 97 on the traveler frame and normally urged by 1a spring-98ft) the full line position shown in FIG. 8,

Inthisposition, an incline 99"-on the lever is disposed inwardly beyond .theedge of the plate 97 andtherefore-is adapted for engagement by the roller 41 of an idle-wind ing unit 10' disposed oppositethe plate surface 75. The rollerthus acts to rock the lever 95*clockwise and move the deflector 88"into the out ofthe way position shown in phantom in FIG. 8.. biased 'by-a spring-191 engages apin 102 on the leverto maintain the deflector out of the way as theknotter hook 51 passes .the, reserve thread R, the latter thus being engaged by the passing hook andrtied onto the cheese'in the conventional fway. After theknotter has passed .the

thread R of'suchunit will be engaged .by the..end 88 of the deflector, bent laterally, andheld out of the path of the" knotter bill 51, as th'elatter passes this thread; A similar mechanism, alsoadapted to be operated by the roller'41 of each winding unit passedby the,

. traveler, causes the-traveler toby-pass and not operate the dofiing mechanism of theunit if the -latter is active.

Inthis positiom'a latch 100.

crank lever 106 fulcrumed at 107 on the plate 53 of the traveler frame normally projects beyond the edge of this plate and is positioned as shown in FIG. 4 for engagement by the roller 41 about the time that the inclined leading end 64- of the cam bar 64 reaches the roller 65 of the dotting plunger 62 as shown in phantom in FIG. 7. The lever 106 is coupled through slidable rods 108 and 109 and a flexible shaft 110 to a link 111 having a lost motion connection 112 with an arm 113 on a rockshaft 114 journaled on the plate 64. Fast on this shaft is a latch 115 normally engaging a lug 118 upstanding from a gate 116 fulcrumed at 117 on the traveler bar 64 and urged by gravity into the plane of the bar where it is normally held by the latch (see FIG. 6).

As the traveler reaches each winding unit 10, the plow 64 engages the upper end of the plunger 62 as shown in phantom in FIG. 7. The lever 106 is coupled through slidable rods 108 and 109 and a flexible shaft 110 to a link 111 having a lost motion connection 112 with an arm 113 on a rockshaft 114 journaled on the plate 64. Fast on this shaft is a latch 115 normally engaging a lug 118 upstanding from a gate 116 fulcrumed at 117 on a traveler bar 64 and urged by gravity into the plane of the bar where it is normally held by the latch (see FIG. 6).

As the traveler reaches each winding unit It the plow 64 engages the upper end of the plunger 62 as shown in phantom in FIG. 7 and cams the plunger of each winding unit laterally and outwardly to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 6. In the continued advance of the traveler, the plunger rides along the outer side of the bar 64, past the pivot 117, and into engagement with the outer side of the gate 116. If the gate is latched as it passes the plunger, it will continue to hold the plunger in the offset position so that the plunger passes by the cam incline 63 and slides along the outside of the bar without being depressed to doff the bobbin 18. On the other hand, if the winding unit is idle when the traveler approaches, the roller 41 of such unit engages the lever 105 camming the latter laterally and, through the flexible shaft 110, raising the latch 115 as shown in FIG. 7 to release the gate 116, the latch position being maintained by friction in the actuating linkage. Then, when the gate reaches the plunger 62, the spring 68 swings the plunger and the gate laterally as shown in full in FIGS. 6 and 7 thus locating the roller 65 for engagement by the cam incline 63. In passing the roller, the cam 63 depresses the plunger to initiate a doffing cycle which is completed as the cam bar passes the plunger. Thereafter, a pin 120 (FIGS. 6 and 7) on a cam 121 carried by the traveler cam shaft 52 operates on a follower 122 to swing the latch 115 down into engagement with the lug on the gate which is returned to normal position as soon as the plunger passes.

The structures thus far described are conventional in Barber-Colman patrolling type spoolers. The present invention contemplates the incorporation in such a spooler of a novel mechanism which, in spite of the random by-passing of the active winding units 10 by the traveler 13, determines the actual number of successful tying operations performed by the traveler and therefore the efiiciency of the machine and the operator attending the same. For this purpose, sensing devices carried by the traveler are spaced along the frame of the latter and adapted to determine the condition of each winding unit approached and passed by the traveler and also the condition of such unit as the traveler leaves or passes out of operative association therewith, these devices controlling the actuation of the counting mechanism for comparing the conditions sensed by the two de vices thereby indicating or enabling the total number of successful tying operations to be ascertained.

Various cotnclitions of the winding units may be sensed to derive the desired count. For example, the

number of the winding units which are active when the traveler arrives may be counted and compared with the number of units running as the traveler leaves, the difference in the counts indicating the number of tying operations completed successfully. As an alternative and to achieve simplicity of the mechanism involved, location of the winding units in the idle positions B and their engagement with the cam surface 71 when the traveler arrives is utilized to measure the number of attempts made by the traveler to tie up and restart the winding units. These are compared with the number of tying failures indicated by the number of units which are idle as the traveler leaves the units, the difference between such attempts and failures indicating the successful tying operations and the efiiciency of the spooler.

To sense the condition of a winding unit when the traveler arrives, a casing 125 mounted intermediate the ends of the traveler frame contains a normally open switch 126 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 9) arranged to be actuated by outward rocking of a lever 127 fulcrumed on the switch casing and normally disposed as shown in FIG. 4 for engagement with and outward camming by the rollers 41 of the idle winding units passed by the traveler and guided by the surface 74 of the plow 55 outwardly and into the track 75. After the roller passes, the switch arm 127 which may be supported by a suitable guide 128, is returned to its normal position by the usual spring built into the casing 125.

Each closure of the switch energizes a magnet 130 whose armature 131 is attracted and moved against the force of a spring 132 to actuate a pawl 133 and advance a ratchet wheel 134 one step. The wheel is on the shaft of a dial type counter 135 such as a Veeder-Root counter No. 1205, for registering the number of energizations on its several dials.

While a reversible type of counter may be employed and the number of tying failures subtracted by turning the dials in a direction opposite to the registration of the tying attempts, it is preferred to register such failures by a separate counter 137 having similar dials advanced step by step in response to successive energizations of a magnet 133 each produced by closure of a switch 139. The casing 140 of the latter is mounted on a bar 141 (FIGS. 4 and 5) constituting an extension of the plate 57 and located at the trailing end of the traveler frame. The rocker arm 142 by which the switch is actuated, is urged against one arm 143 of a bell-crank lever fulcrumed at 144 on the bar and having a second arm 145 extending parallel to and offset outward slightly beyond the trailing end of the last surface 81 normally engaged by the rollers 41 in restoring the cheese carriers to the control of their respective latches 27 after operation thereon by the passing traveler.

The counters 135 and 137 are mounted within a casing 146 in a convenient location on the traveler frame with their dials readily visible. To prevent tampering with the counters and falsely registering tying attempts as by manipulating the switch arm 127 after the traveler has been stopped, provision is made for disabling the switch 126 automatically as an incident to such stopping which is usually accomplished by swinging a lever 147 (FIG. 2) to disengage the clutch 9 through which the traveler drive pinion 14 is rotated. In the movement of the lever to the disengaged position shown in full, the arm 148 of a switch 149 (FIGS. 2 and 9) is actuated to open this switch and thus interrupt the circuit (FIG. 9) through which the counter 135 is actuated in response to suecessive closures of the switch 126.

It will be apparent that if a tying operation has been successful, the latch 27 of the unit involved will remain effective to hold the associated cheese 19 on its drum 20, the winding will continue, and the lever arm 145 (FIG. 4) will pass by the roller 41 of the unit without engagement therewith. Thus, the switch 139 remains open and the counter is not actuated. On the other hand, if due to improper hanging up of the reservethread R or otherwise,

. the tying operation of-thetraveleris unsuccessful, inter The, failure readings registered on the counter 137 are usable in determining the general efficiency of the spooler,

that is, the ability of the individual winding'units to continue operation to exhaustion of eachbobbin. The difference between the attempts and failures registered by the respective counters 135 and 137 is an accurate ill-'1 dication of the efficieney iO'f' the attendant and the care exercised in properly hanging up the reserve threads R so as to increase the likelihood of successful tying operations by the traveler.

I claim as my 'invenition: 1 r l. The combination of, a plurality of thread winding units spaced side by side and a traveler supported for relative movement along a predetermined path into operative' association with thesuccessive units, each unit having condition indicating means movable relative to said path to positions indicative of active and idle conditions of the winding unit,- mechanism on said traveler operable to pass idly by the active units but operate on the thread package of each idle unit, tie the thread thereof to a reserve thread,,and initiate restarting of the winding by such unit, a first sensing device mounted on said traveler and engageable with and actuated by said indicating means when the indicating means is in a position to indicate a predetermined one of said conditions of a winding unit during association of the traveler with such winding unit but before s'aid restarting thereof,- a second device on said traveler spaced from said first device along the traveler longitudinally of said pathiand' engageable with and actuated by said indicating means'when the indicating means is in a position to indicate said predetermined condition of such winding unit during association her of attempts of sai'd traveler -to-tie a knot and the tail- 7 ures of the traveler to tie a-knot s uccessfully, said mechanism having two a-'etuators, a sensing device mounted on said traveler andengageable with said -memberof each winding unit when in an idle position to energize one of said actuators: and thereby register any attempt of the traveler to "tie a knot,;and a second sensing device mounted on said traveler for operative association with said memberof each'winding unit at a time subsequent to the tying of a knot by thetraveler andnormal restarting of the Winding thereby, s'aidsecond'device, when engaged bysaid member in an idle position, energizing said second counteractuator to thereby register a failure of the traveler to successfully tie a knot.

5. A multiple unit winding machine as definedin claim 4 in which the starting andstopping of-each windingunit is accompanied by movement of the thread package of such unit into and outjof engagement'with a driving drum, and said counter actuating member comprises a part movable in unison withthe thread package and is disposed in the path of the sensing devices on-the traveler while the latter passes byv an idle winding unit.

6. In combination with a spooler having a plurality o winding units spacediside by side along a predetermined path and each having a member supporting a thread package and movable transversely 'of said path from a winding position into and "out of fan idleposition in which said package is disposed after'a thread break "andin the course oftying a reserve thread thereto, a traveler movable along said path and operable to passidly bythe activeones of said windin'gunits but to move an idle package and unite the thread thereof to a vreserve thread and then return the package toits windingposition, a device on said traveler of the traveler with the unit and after the attempted restarting thereof, and mechanism for counting the actuations of the two sensing devices whereby the difference in the counts indicates the changes in the condition of V the winding units passed by the traveler and constitutes a measure of the number of tying operations success fully performed. I

2. A multiple unit winding machine as defined in claim 1 including a coupling selectively engageable and disengageable to start and stop said relativemovement of the traveler and said winding units, and means operable as an incident to such stopping to disable said counting mechanism. I

3. A multiple unit winding machine as 'defined in claim 1 in which each winding unit incorporates a mernber movable relative to said path between first and seeond'positions indicative of active and idle conditions of the Winding unit, and'said first and second sensing devices are engageable with and actuated by said member. a r

associated winding unit, said traveler remaining idle as it comes into operative association with the active ones of said units but operating on the thread package of each idle unit to tie the thread thereof to a reserve thread and restart the winding, a counting mechanism associated with said traveler for counting and comparing the numoperation, and mechanism on said traveler spaced behind and operable after each of said attempts'to-sensethe success of the knot-tying operation and to count and record the failure to successfully;resume the operation of the windingunit.

7. A multiple unit winding machine as defined by claim 6 in which said counting means includes two registers separately operated to respectively indicate the number of said attempts and failures. I

8. The combination of, a plurality of thread winding ,units spaced side by side and a traveler supported for relative movement along a predetermined path, each unit having condition indicating means movable relativeto'said path to positions indicative of active and idle conditions of a position to indicate the same position of a winding unit duringassociation of the first and second devicessucces sively with such winding unit, mechanism for counting the actuations of the two sensing devices, and mechanism on said traveler operable automatically in the advance thereofto tie the thread of such unit to. a reserve thread and after association-of said first sensing device with said indicating means of'an idle one of said units to restart'the winding by'the unit'before said second sensing device is brought into association with the indicating meansofi such unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS r V Mahoney July 3, 1962 

1. THE COMBINATION OF, A PLURALITY OF THREAD WINDING UNITS SPACED SIDE BY SIDE AND A TRAVELER SUPPORTED FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH INTO OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH THE SUCCESSIVE UNITS, EACH UNIT HAVING CONDITION INDICATING MEANS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID PATH TO POSITION INDICATIVE OF ACTIVE AND IDLE CONDITIONS OF THE WINDING UNIT, MECHANISM ON SAID TRAVELER OPERABLE TO PASS IDLY BY THE ACTIVE UNITS BUT OPERATE ON THE THREAD PACKAGE OF EACH IDLE UNIT, TIE THE THREAD THEREOF TO A RESERVE THREAD, AN INITIATE RESTARTING OF THE WINDING BY SUCH UNIT, A FIRST SENSING DEVICE MOUNTED ON SAID TRAVELER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH AN ACTUATED BY SAID INDICATING MEANS WHEN THE INDICATING MEANS IS IN A POSITION TO INDICATE A PREDETERMINED ONE OF SAID CONDITIONS OF A WINDING UNIT DURING ASSOCIATION OF THE TRAVELER WITH SUCH WINDING UNIT BUT BEFORE SAID RESTARTING THEREOF, A SECOND DEVICE ON SAID TRAVELER SPACED FROM SAID FIRST DEVICE ALONG THE TRAVELER LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID PATH AND ENGAGEABLE WITH AND ACTUATED BY SAID INDICATING MEANS WHEN THE INDICATING MEANS IS IN A POSITION TO INDICATE SAID PREDETERMINED CONDITION OF SUCH WINDING UNIT DURING ASSOCIATION OF THE TRAVELER WITH THE UNIT AND AFTER THE ATTEMPTED RESTARTING THEREOF, AND MECHANISM FOR COUNTING THE ACTUATIONS OF THE TWO SENSING DEVICES WHEREBY THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COUNTS INDICATES THE CHANGES IN THE CONDITION OF THE WINDING UNITS PASSED BY THE TRAVELER AND CONSTITUTES A MEASURE OF THE NUMBER OF TYING OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED. 